This colorful parrot is considered one of the rarest birds in the
world. An estimated 1 million of them existed in
Puerto Rico when the Spanish arrived.

By 1971, only 16 parrots were known to
exist in the wild; another 3 lived in captivity.
Although making a comeback, their numbers are still
small.

You can identify the parrots by their call and their color.
When they fly, they voice a loud, repetitive bugle-like
call. Mostly green in color, the wing tips
are a brilliant blue and easily visible in flight.

About 12 inches in length, the parrot also has a vivid
red forehead that you're most likely to see only at close
range. Its tail is short and squared-off.

The Puerto Rican parrot essentially is a fruit eater but
known to eat seeds, flowers and leaves. They mate
for life and breed from February to June. However,
if a mate dies, the surviving bird will usually find another partner
by the next breeding season.

This parrot doesn't build its own nest but uses cavities in palo
colorado trees. A clutch of eggs
numbers from 3 to 4 and the chicks hatch after 26 days. They are
able to leave the nest at 2 months but remain with their
parents until the next breeding season.

Although the Puerto Rican parrot is the most famous, about 50 other
bird species are found in the Caribbean National
Forest .